UPDATE: iRobot filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 15, and has been acquired by Roomba manufacturer Picea. While Roombas are still available to buy like usual, I would recommend deprioritizing a Roomba in your robot vacuum search. There are robot vacuums with better features at better prices out there, and with iRobot’s rocky future now layered in, even the best Roomba vacuums aren’t worth it.
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If you’re someone who would simply prefer true Roomba street cred, the Roomba 105 series has a variety of models that would be solid for a small space with relatively light foot traffic.
There are four versions total to customize your purchase based on your home’s needs: a standalone mopping and non-mopping version, and a self-emptying mopping and non-mopping version. They all have huge discounts quite often, dropping both standalone models below $200 and both self-emptying models below $300.
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There’s no reason to still consider the outdated Roomba 694 or Roomba i5 when the new Roomba 105 exists. iRobot finally made some value-packed updates to the affordable end of the Roomba spectrum after years of charging way too much for cheap Roombas that couldn’t compete with budget-friendly vacuum cleaners from other brands.
The biggest difference between the i5 to the 105 in suction power: The Roomba 105 has 60 times the suction of older 600 series Roombas (think Roomba 694 or Roomba 675) while the Roomba i5 has just 10 times the power of the 600 series. This translates to 7,000 Pa in suction power for the 105, a metric that iRobot never used before 2025. That suction power boost was evident in practice: On my apartment’s hard floors, the Roomba 105 nearly perfectly cleared kitty litter, protein powder, and spilled seasoning like garlic salt. All but one or two heavier pieces of dry cat food were sucked up, which the 694 just pushed around. On rugs, most loose crumbs and surface fuzzies were grabbed, though embedded cat fur still needed the oomph of a stick vacuum.
The other big update involves the circular laser tower atop this Roomba. iRobot finally made the switch to LiDAR-based smart mapping with its 2025 Roombas. That ultimately means faster, more precise room mapping, despite the new Roomba Home app somehow feeling older and clunkier than the original one. Either way, the Roomba 105 successfully made it to my selected rooms and zones almost every time.
